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<title>Autism Schools in Dayton, Ohio: District Programs, Community Schools, and What the Autism Scholarship Covers | Achieving Stars Therapy</title>
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<div class="hero"><div class="hero-inner"><span class="location-badge">Dayton, Ohio</span><h1>Autism Schools in Dayton, Ohio</h1><p>Dayton families lean on tuition-free community schools and district programs more than stand-alone autism schools, because that's what the area actually has.</p></div></div>
<div class="quick-info"><div class="info-item"><div class="info-label">County</div><div class="info-value">Montgomery</div></div><div class="info-item"><div class="info-label">Community School</div><div class="info-value">Summit Academy</div></div><div class="info-item"><div class="info-label">Evaluations</div><div class="info-value">MCESC and Dayton Children's</div></div><div class="info-item"><div class="info-label">ABA</div><div class="info-value">In-home, 18mo-15yr</div></div></div>
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<section><p>Families in Dayton choose between what the public district provides, tuition-free community schools, and private placements part-funded by the Ohio Autism Scholarship.</p>
<p>Which is realistic depends far more on what Montgomery County actually runs than on preference. So here's what's genuinely there.</p></section>
<section><h2>Autism schools and programs in Dayton</h2><p>Dayton's realistic options split between the public district, tuition-free community schools, and county-level services.</p>
<p><strong>Summit Academy Dayton</strong> is a tuition-free, non-profit community school built specifically for students with ADHD and autism spectrum disorders. No tuition means the scholarship question doesn't arise, which is why it's often the first call families make.</p>
<p>The <strong>Montgomery County Educational Service Center</strong> runs specialized and related services across districts, and it also performs Autism and ADOS independent educational evaluations. That last one matters if you disagree with a district's evaluation. They're at 200 South Keowee Street, on (937) 236-9965.</p>
<p>On the medical side, <strong>Dayton Children's</strong> autism diagnostic clinic evaluates children from 18 months through the fourth birthday and takes new patients up to five, on (937) 641-3000. A referral from your child's primary care doctor comes first.</p></section>
<section><h2>How the Autism Scholarship actually works</h2><p>It pays for an education placement, not for therapy at home, and three details decide whether it fits your family.</p>
<p>It attaches to a current IEP from your district of residence, and a child can apply from age three. Enrol with a business provider instead of a school and the parent takes on responsibility for educating the child at home, which is the state's own wording and the part people miss. And $34,000 was the autism category ceiling for July 2025 through June 2026, assuming enrolment for the full year, with anything above it landing on the family.</p>
<p>Full detail on <a href="/guide/autism-schools-ohio">autism schools in Ohio and what the scholarship covers</a>.</p></section>
<section><h2>Where in-home ABA fits around school</h2>
<p>School and clinical ABA come out of different pots and cover different ground, so families generally do both.</p>
<p>The scholarship handles education. Applied behavior analysis runs through Ohio Medicaid or commercial insurance, with no annual dollar cap for members under 21, and the hours sit outside the school day.</p>
<p>Achieving Stars Therapy runs BCBA-led ABA in the home for children 18 months to 15 years, scheduled 8am to 8pm so it works around whichever school a child attends. There's no waitlist, and benefits get checked free before anything is signed. Achieving Stars is not an Autism Scholarship provider; it bills Medicaid and commercial plans.</p></section>
<section><h2>Common questions from Dayton parents</h2>
<div class="faq-item"><h3>Does my child need an IEP for any of this?</h3><p>For the Autism Scholarship, yes, and it has to be current and agreed. For district services you need an evaluation and an IEP. For in-home ABA you don't; that runs on a medical diagnosis instead.</p></div>
<div class="faq-item"><h3>Can we do school and ABA therapy in the same week?</h3><p>Most Dayton families do. The funding is entirely separate and the therapy hours sit outside the school day.</p></div>
<div class="faq-item"><h3>Who provides in-home ABA around here?</h3><p>Achieving Stars Therapy delivers BCBA-led ABA in the home across <a href="/location/city/aba-therapy-dayton-oh">Dayton</a> and the rest of <a href="/location/states/aba-therapy-ohio">Ohio</a>, for children 18 months to 15 years, with no waitlist and a free benefits check first.</p></div>
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<p class="disclaimer">Autism Scholarship rules and the FY2026 award figure come from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. School and programme details come from each organisation's own published information as of July 2026. Availability, ages served and contact details change; confirm directly with each school and with your district. Not legal or educational advice.</p>
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<h2>In-Home ABA for Dayton Families</h2>
<p>Free benefits check. BCBA-led, in-home, flexible day and evening scheduling.</p>
<a href="https://www.achievingstarstherapy.com/contact" class="cta-button">Check Your Coverage</a>
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<div class="cta-item"><div class="cta-item-label">Call</div><div class="cta-item-value"><a href="tel:8336663115">(833) 666-3115</a></div></div>
<div class="cta-item"><div class="cta-item-label">Email</div><div class="cta-item-value"><a href="mailto:info@achievingstarstherapy.com">info@achievingstarstherapy.com</a></div></div>
<div class="cta-item"><div class="cta-item-label">Ages</div><div class="cta-item-value">18 months to 15 years</div></div>
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